Box Score - Game 1
Box Score - Game 2
KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Fairfield University baseball team split a doubleheader with Long Island University this afternoon at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium. The Blackbirds (2-4) took the first game, 3-0, while the Stags (2-1) picked up a 2-0 victory in extra innings in the nightcap.
In the Stags' 2-0 win, senior
Gavin McCullough was stellar in his first start of the season, throwing six scoreless innings with six strikeouts while scattering seven hits and a walk. After getting out of a jam in the bottom of the first, McCullough retired 13 of the next 15 batters. McCullough's counterpart, Matt Higginbotham was equally as good, tossing seven shutout innings, scattering four hits and a walk while striking out five.
The Stags threatened in the top of the seventh putting two runners on with two outs, but LIU was able to get out of the inning. Junior
Mark Bordonaro came on in relief in bottom the seventh inning and got the Stags out of a bases loaded jam to force extra innings.
In the top of the eighth,
Mike Maschi drew a leadoff walk while rookie
Alex Witkus followed with a single. Senior
Larry Cornelia drew a walk to load the bases. Junior
Anthony Hajjar then stepped to the plate and delivered a single to score Maschi and Witkus and put the Stags ahead 2-0. Bordonaro retired the Blackbirds in order in the bottom of the eighth for his first victory of the season. Bordonaro threw two hitless and scoreless innings with a walk while striking out four of the seven batters he face.
In the opening game, LIU's Matt McCormick tossed a three-hit complete game shutout, fanning seven Stags. Cornelia went 2-for-3 while Witkus had the other hit for the Stags. After allowing two hits in the first inning, McCormick kept the Stags off the base paths until the bottom of the seventh, when Cornelia led off with a single. Fairfield was unable to rally, falling 3-0.
Scott Warwick was charged with the loss in his first start of the year. He struck out five batters but allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits over four innings. Freshman
Chris Kalica tossed the final two and two-thirds innings of relief, striking out three batters.
Fairfield closes out its stay in North Carolina on Sunday when the Stags face Youngstown State University.
